Elden Spring Trail

On Sunday, November 25, 2012, we decided to take advantage of some last bits of nice weather to get in one more hike we'd been wanting to try. Elden Spring Trail is right in town but once on the trail you don't even realize it. It is a short but moderate level hike that follows along part of the base of Mt. Elden. You take a little side trail briefly to find this natural spring. We brought Sooner with us and tested her off leash. She did alright. Luckily, there weren't any other people around. She was often out of sight although we could hear her tearing through the brush. She almost jumped to her death from some high cliffs above the spring when we told her it was time to get moving.

From the spring we got back on the main trail to the homestead sight of a family that settled in the area for several years until their six year old boy was killed by a stray bullet from a ticked off cowboy. The grave of the little boy is still there a little ways off from the homestead. People have fenced in the grave and put up an iron cross. I thought I had taken some pictures of this part of the hike but apparently I didn't. Too bad.

The hike was a great family outing. Both boys were great hikers as usual and Tyler loves his perch in the backpack sucking on suckers right along with his brothers.